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Frequently Asked Questions on trailers & trailer parts in the UK

The team at On-Auto have nearly 50 years of combined industry-leading experience. They are fully dedicated to providing the UK trailer parts market with high-quality products at a very competitive price point, working around the clock to ensure that our customers receive the best advice, service and products at a price point they can afford. To make sure that we are providing the complete service to our trusted customers, we have compiled some of our most frequently asked questions for your information.

Still got a question? No worries, simply drop us a message or give us a call and one of our team will be in touch shortly.

If you hold a provisional driving license, you are strictly prohibited from towing any sort of trailer.

Drivers who passed their driving test before 1st January 1997 should have entitlement B+E C1+E, as listed on point 9 of the driving licence. This entitles you to drive vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (G.V.W) of up to 7,500kg, and to tow any trailer as long as the combined G.V.W. of the towing vehicle plus trailer does not exceed 8,250kg.

Drivers who passed their driving test after 1st January 1997 can drive a vehicle with a G.V.W. of 3,500kg with less than 8 seats.

They can also tow any trailer weighing up to 750kg provided that:

The G.V.W. of the towing vehicle is at least twice the G.V.W of the trailer

The combined G.V.W. of the towing vehicle and trailer is under 3,500kg

If you passed your driving test after 1st January 1997, you will need to take an additional test to tow a trailer that weighs more than 750kg.

There are two commonly used brake back plates: Alko & Knott. Even though both work in similar ways, each brake type requires different settings. There are two common ways to differentiate between the two brake types:

Check the compensator. An Alko compensator has a swage end which fits on the Bowden cable, and a Knott compensator has locknuts.

Find out how you adjust the brakes. Alko brakes have a star wheel on the backplate which needs adjustment with a screwdriver, whereas the Knott backplate has an adjuster nut for spanner adjustment.

Still unsure? No worries, simply give our team a call on 000-0000 and we’ll walk you through the steps.

Taking the right steps to ensure that your trailer is well protected is highly cost-effective as it helps you to retain your trailer investment. There are a number of different ways to protect your trailer; we sell a range of security products via the On-Auto website and we are also a licensed dealer for Tough Tracker tracking units – give us a call today to find out more about this service.

Even if you take all the precautions necessary, sometimes the worst can still happen. Taking out a comprehensive trailer insurance policy means that your investment is covered, should something happen to your beloved trailer.